


The Time Before

by moreofus



Category: Three Dark Crowns Series - Kendare Blake
Genre: Fennbirn origin story, Goddess origin story, Other, loosely based on the three fates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-09-24 07:37:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17096540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moreofus/pseuds/moreofus
Summary: A long time ago, atop the great peak of Mount Horn, sat a temple whose torches were never absent of flame, whose white columns could not be touched by the weather, and whose appearance was revealed only to the worthy. Its sole residents were three sisters who all had the same warm golden skin and deep brown hair. Although they all seemed the same on the surface, they were far from the perfect sisters.Or, my take on how Fennbirn and the Goddess came to be.





	The Time Before

**Author's Note:**

> Please note that the three sisters very, VERY loosely based on the three fates. Don't expect this to follow any Greek mythology stories related to them.
> 
> Also, I'm trying to make this story diverse, but I also hold a lot of Western bias, so if something isn't right with the characters or aspects of non-Western cultures, don't hesitate to call me out on it.
> 
> Finally, this world belongs to Kendare Blake and anything I write is probably far from what she knows about the origin of Fennbirn and the Goddess, but I thought it'd be fun to try it anyway.

The waning crescent moon was high in the sky, so close to the peak of the mountains that Selene could almost reach out and touch it if she stretched up far enough on her toes.

Although it was the first day of winter, the harsh wind that was supposed to be ripping through Mount Horn was only a cool breeze on Selene’s skin. It was also the most important night of the year, the day when the three triplets who were meant to bless the island would be born.

It wasn’t unusual for Selene to venture beyond the temple on the nights when the clouds didn’t obscure the view of the sky. The sight was calming and most welcome to her, but her sisters couldn’t understand the appeal of it.

The wind blew in Selene’s hair as she tipped her head up and took in a deep breath. That breath told her that tonight would be joyous and uneventful, or as uneventful as it could be on the night of the triplets’ birth.

“You should come inside soon. The birth is drawing near,” said a voice from behind her. Selene didn’t startle, as she was familiar with Thalia’s voice as she was with her own heartbeat.

“I know. I only came out because the sky was so inviting tonight.”

Selene caught the quirk of Thalia’s lips as she turned around to face her, the sight of her as fresh and new as the petals of a blooming flower.

“Can she feel who the next queen will be?” Selene asked, always eager to find out who the next queen would be, what her gift might be and how strong they would grow up to be.

“Not yet,” said Thalia as she smoothed down the silk fabric of her plain chiton. “It could be a naturalist.”

Disappointment raced through Selene for a moment before it faded away. She much preferred the elemental gift, but a queen was a queen no matter her gift. What she did with her gift, how she used it to benefit the island, mattered more than anything else.

“The birds will sing her song and the bees will dance in her honour if that is to be true,” Selene said placatingly to Thalia, whom she knew favoured the naturalist gift.

Thalia smiled knowingly. “Moira hopes for an oracle queen.”

“Of course she does,” Selened grinned, and then gesteured for Thalia to follow her back into the temple. She had prolonged her time outside already. It was time to determine the destinies of the triplets.

They walked past the colonnade of the temple and into the pronaos, the antechamber leading into the main open space of the temple, where Moira was waiting for them. Her lovely skin was softened by the light of the torch flames. Her hands were clasped together in front of her, the slight downturn of her mouth showing her nervousness.

“What took you so long? The triplets are almost on their way,” Moira scolded without any venom in her voice, though she meant to sound harsh.

“We’re here now,” Selene answered, the fabric of her own chiton rustling as she led the way into the cella, the largest room of the temple.

Unlike the few temples scattered throughout Fennbirn island, the temple of the Goddesses didn’t have great statues of themselves, nor an altar dedicated to them. The cella was a functional living space for the three sisters, pillows and furniture placed here and there for them to lay their heads on. And unlike those temples, a large brazier was sat in the middle of the room, used only for the birth of the triplets.

The grand space was lit by flickering oil lamps, which cast shadows into the farthest corners of the room. Charcoal had already been placed into the brazier by Moira and Thalia, both of whom now worked to coax a flame out of it. Selene gathered a spool, a very long piece of thread in a clump, and a pair of silver scissors.

When the room was lit brighter by the fire, the three sisters took their places around the brazier, far apart enough that they could gaze at each other. Selene offered the thread and spool to Thalia. As they waited, Thalia wound the thread around the spool, the flames of the brazier growing brighter and brighter the more she spun. When the wounding came to an end, the fire sputtered and dimmed so that it was hard to tell whether it would go completely out.

No one said anything as they watched the brazier. Outside, the wind blew stronger as clouds rolled in, the static in the air making all the sisters’ hair stand up on their arms.

Suddenly, the flames leaped high into the air, the heat lashing out and overwhelming Selene’s exposed skin.

Thalia’s eyes were unfocused, the spool held tight in her hands. All at once, her gaze sharpened as she shouted, “Valeriya. Poisoner. I give her life from the poison berries of the island and the sting of the plants she may crush to heal.”

The flames died down, and over them Thalia passed the spool of thread to Moira, who took the end of the string. “Valeriya the poisoner. May you live a long life, long enough to see your children grow into healthy adults. Let this unspooling give you a prosperous life, one where you are at peace with your fellow queen sisters.” She then drew out a long section of the thread, handing it over to Selene.

Finally, Selene looked down at the string, her mind feeling for Valeriya’s end. “I grant you a calm ending, surrounded by your loved ones. You will want for nothing in your final hours, except for the companionship of your sisters, which you will not be granted.”

As she took the scissors and severed the thread, Selene felt the inevitability of the death, the dread and peace of knowing that a life will end somewhere down the line. She threw the piece of thread into the brazier, after which the flames turned a purple hue before returning to normal.

Selene passed the spool back to Thalia, whose eyes once again unfocused as the fire turned bright and grew higher. When her eyes refocused, the flames died down and her booming voice announced, “Shamira. Elemental. I give her life from the current of the sea and the static of the air, the sturdiness of the earth and the heat of the flame.”

The spool was passed to Moira. As she took the end of the thread, she paused for a moment, something flickering in her gaze. Selene grew excited. “Queen Shamira. May you rule for a generation, a reign where you will protect your people so they should adore you. Let this unspooling give you success in your time as queen, and let it lead you to shelter the vulnerable.” She unfurled a shorter length of thread than she did for Valeriya.

Once again, Moira passed the spool to Selene, but it did not feel right. The end that she search out left her unsatisfied and full of sadness for Queen Shamira. “I grant you a terrible ending, one that you won’t be able to escape. You shall drown in a storm beyond you control as you sail for Centra. Your last breath will be taken as you’re swept under the cruel waves, but your life will not have been for nothing.”

The words were hard to get through, the forming lump in her throat a dead giveaway to the oncoming tears. Selene wouldn’t let herself cry. This thread – this life – was a gift, and it had to end eventually. This was what she did, and no matter how tragic or how gruesome the ending, it must be carried out.

The fire turned a blue colour when she threw the string into the fire. Now that the queen was chosen, the last sister was not as exciting.

“Delilah. Warrior. I giver her life from the blood of the battlefield and the steel of the sword.”

“Delilah the warrior. May you live a short life by the side of people who will not see past your weak gift. Let this unspooling give you a close friend who will keep you company until it is time for your departure from this world.”

“I grant you the mercy of a quick death. You will die in your sleep as a sickly child, no more than a decade past your birth.”

With that, the triplets were born. Their queen was chosen, and all their fates were decided. They would have to wait a generation until the next triplets were born.

The fire in the brazier quickly died. The little bit of thread left on the spool was cast side, maybe to be used sometime again.

As the sisters disbanded, Selene could not help thinking of Queen Shamira, whose death would be most unbearable for any elemental.

Although it seemed like they’d been standing around the brazier for hours, only mere minutes had passed. This was a quick birthing, and the previous queen would be heading for Valostra soon enough.

“Do you think the sisters will love each other?” Selene blurted out to no one in particular, the thought seemingly coming out of nowhere.

“They were the honoured triplets of the island,” Moira said. “Of course they will love each other.”

Selene didn’t understand what that had to do with loving your sisters, but she supposed Moira was right.

After all, she loved her sisters.  
*  
Of course, this all happened long before the time of Arsinoe, Katharine, and Mirabella.

This was a time before the queens were forced to ruthlessly compete for the throne in a cruel and senseless manner. It was a time where the queen triplets were allowed to live in peace and harmony, where the queen was determined from the moment she drew in her first breath.

It was a time before the mist, but also before Fennbirn would be open to the outside world. The three sisters who resided in a temple on Mount Horn made sure the residents of the island were safe, protecting the waters around Fennbirn by using Selene’s gift to steer ships away with harsh currents and unfavourable winds.

Life thrived on Fennbirn, and Selene, Moira, and Thalia worked together to maintain a balance of the island’s gifts and their power.

To the residents, Mount Horn was the most sacred place on the island. When people of all gifts prayed, they prayed to the three sisters on top of the mountain. Their names were spoken with awe and gratitude, even hundreds of years after Fennbirn had been established. Mount Horn undoubtedly held more power than the Volroy ever would.

It was, after all, before the earth was cleaved into two and the Breccia Domain was formed.


End file.
